Device for enveloping and sealing flat articles, for example letters



June 10, 1947.

A. REINER ETAL DEVICE FOR ENVELOPINGWAND SEALING FLAT ARTICLES, FOR EXAMPLE LETTERS v Filed March 4, 1940 II I 11 Ill Patented June 10, 1947 DEVICE FOR ENVELOPING AND' SEALING FLAT ARTICLES, FOR EXAMPLE LETTERS August Reiner, Dresden, and Wilhelm Rehm,

Berlin, Germany; vested in the Attorney General of the UnitedStates Application March 4, 1940, Serial No. 322,198 I In Germany March 9, 1939 Claims.

Hitherto, letters and similar flat articles were enveloped by hand. For sealing letters, lettersealing machines are known. But the known methods require the use of conventional ready envelopes, and the letters have to be folded and inserted in the envelopes by hand. By using conventional ready envelopes, the known methods are rendered more expensive, and inserting the letters in the envelopes by hand requires considerable time and is especially complicated.

With the device according to the invention, the enveloping of letters or similar fiat articles is done by placing the letters between the loose parts of the envelope and connecting these parts at the edges so as to form the envelope and to enclose the letter. While conveying the letters to the loose parts of the envelope, the letters are conveniently folded in a suitable manner by doubling or folding so as to have the desired size. According to the invention, the envelopes are formed of a top and a bottom leaf, which leaves are fed separately from rolls or sheets, and which are cut off and connected with each other after the letter has been inserted.

The device according to the invention makes it possible to provide the letters or similar articles in a simple and dry way with an envelope. The device can be worked completely automatically and at a rapid rate. Apart from the technical advantages, consisting in forming a seal which is safe against unauthorized opening, the device is economical and also affords special advertising possibilities. The top and bottom leaves may consist of different colored papers or even of difierent materials, for example of transparent cellulose wrapping and paper.

The device according to the invention essentially consists of conveyor belts arranged in a machine frame and serving to convey the letters to be enclosed, as well as of toothed wheels for crimp sealing the parts of the envelopes. Between the conveyor belts there may be arranged folding devices for automatically folding the letters to the desired size.

Further details of the subject of the invention will be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which is adiagrammatical illustration of an enveloping and sealing machine shown by way of example, and in which- Fig. 1 is a side View with the side Wall removed,

Fig. 2 is a top view of the arrangement according to the invention, the paper being omitted for the sake of clearness of illustration,

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View taken along line 3-3 in Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a view taken along the line 4-4 in Fig.- 2,

Fig. 5 is a top view of a finished envelope,

Fig. 6 is a top View of a packet containing printed matter.

Three pairs of conveyor belts l-2, 3-4 and 5-6 are arranged in a machine frame consist- .ing of the side walls 50 and the base plate 5|.

driven by a belt 9a. The letter to be enveloped is placed on the table H and is inserted between the conveyor belts l and 2, for example by the. folding blade l2. On the table II there is a stop l3 arranged so as to have the fold at the desired place, for example in the first third of a letter sheet. The folding blade I2 is moved by rods 14 from wheels 15 with cam slots iii. For forming the second fold in the second third of the paper sheet, there is provided below the conveyor belts l and 2 a folding blade ll, which is moved by rods 18 from wheels 19 with cam slots 20. The wheels I5 and 19 are suitably driven by belts ISa and I511. The folding blade ll inserts the folded letter between the conveyor belts 5, 6, by which it is moved to the enveloping and sealing device.

The paper strips 2|, 22 serving to form the envelope is, for example, supplied from the rolls 23, 24, from which it is drawn through the rollers 25 and 26, the roller 25 being suitably driven by a belt 25a. At the ends of the rollers 25 and 26 there are toothed wheels 28 and 3B, the teeth of the Wheels of one roller interengaging the teeth of the otherwheels. The conveyance of the letters and of the enveloping paper is regulated so that the letter is seized by the rollers 25, 26 when the enveloping paper 2 I, 22 has passed through the rollers 25, 26 in a width sufficient to form the seal. The toothed wheels 28 and 30 form rows of crimps or fiutings in the paper and thereby effect the connection of the top and bottom leaves at the end edges while the letter is conveyed and enveloped.

Behind the rollers 25, 26 there is a cutting device 3| operated by the wheels [5 and through cam slots 32. The paper strips 2|, 22 serving to form the envelope are detached, after the letter has passed through, so as to leave below the cutting edge a margin for forming the seal. The edges of the envelope, that are not yet connected, are now sealed by the toothed wheels 33 to 36.

These toothed wheels 33 to 36 are attached to the rollers 31, 38 and are driven by the bevel wheels 39, 40 and 4|, 42 respectively, running in opposite directions. At the same time, the toothed wheels 33 to 36 serve to deliver the finished enveloped letter. In order to facilitate theinsertion of the enveloped letter between the toothed wheels 33 to 36, as well as between rollers 37 and 38, the roller and Wheel circumferences are flattened as at 34a and 35a as illustrated in Fig. 3. 7

On the rollers 25, 26 or 31,. 38 there maybe arranged a device 49 for printing the envelopes. The printing may serve for advertising purposes, or it may give the address of the forwarder or of the addressee, or it may contain the impressed postage stamp. It is also possible to form the toothed wheels in known manner with profilesso that the sealed edge after the toothed wheels will bear an advertising text, special signs, or a decoration.

The device according to the invention is suitable for enveloping folded as well as not folded letters, printed matters, or similar flat articles. The sealing of the envelope may either be made at all four edges by means of the toothed wheels as described, or some parts of the'envelope may be left open (Fig. 6). It is also possible to use, instead of the toothed wheels, other sealing devices, for example wire-stitching or stamping machines for applying the method according" to the invention;

For partly sealing the envelopes for printed matter, the toothing of the toothed wheels is, for example, provided with interruptions. Through the parts remaining open at these places of the envelope it is possible to inspect the contents without damaging the envelope (Fig. 6).

What we'claim is:

l. A device for enveloping and sealing flat articles, for example letters, comprising means for feeding the enveloping paper, two pairs of toothed wheels adapted to crimp seal two sides of the envelope, each two toothed wheels being connected by one roller, means for detaching the enveloping paper leaving said wheels, two further pairs of toothed wheels adapted to crimp seal the re maining two sides of the envelope, each two of these latter toothed wheels being connected by one roller and adapted to deliver from the device the ready enveloped and sealed letters in conjunction with the toothed wheels.

2. A device for enveloping and sealing flat articles, for example letters, comprising means for feeding the enveloping paper, two pairs of toothed wheels adapted to crimp-seal two-sides of the envelope, each two toothed wheels being connected by one roller, these two rollers being adapted to seize the enveloping paper in conjunction with the toothed wheels, means for detaching the enveloping paper, twofurther pairs of toothed wheels arranged perpendicular to the first pairs of toothed wheels and adapted to seal the remaining two sides of the envelope.

3. A device for enveloping and sealing flat'articles, for example letters, comprising means for feeding the enveloping paper, twopairs oftoothed wheels adapted to crimp seal two sides of the envelope, each two toothed wheelsbeingconnected by one roller, these two rollers being adapted toseize and convey the enveloping paper in conjunction with the toothed wheels, means'for detaching the enveloping paper, two further pairs of toothed wheels arranged perpendicular to the first pairs of toothed wheels and being flattened at a part of their circumferences, to facilitate the introduction of the envelope therebetween, said further' wheels'being adapted to seal the remaining two sides of the envelope, each two of the last mentioned toothed wheels being connected by one roller flattened in a corresponding manner as the toothed wheels.

4. A device for enveloping and sealing flat articles, for example letters, comprising means for feeding the enveloping paper, two pairs of toothed wheels driven in opposite directions, adapted to crimp seal two sides of the envelope, each two toothed-wheels being connected by one roller,

these two rollers being adapted to seize and con vey the enveloping paper in conjunction with the toothed wheels, means for detaching the enveloping paper, two further pairs of toothed wheels driven in opposite directions, arranged perpendicular to the first pair of toothed wheels and being flattened at a part of their circumferences, to facilitate theintroduction of the envelope, said further pairs of wheels adapted to seal the remaining two sides of the envelope, each two of these last mentioned toothed wheels being connected' by one roller flattened in a corresponding manner as the toothed wheels.

5-. A device for enveloping and sealing flat articles, for example letters, comprising means for supporting two rolls of enveloping paper, two pairs of toothed wheels, each being connected by one roller, these rollers being adapted to draw the enveloping paper in conjunction with the toothed wheels from said rolls driving means for turning the toothed wheels in opposite directions, effecting the crimp sealing on two sides, a knife arranged behind the pairs of toothed wheels, a cam disc for raising and lowering this knife, thereby detaching the enveloping paper, two further pairs of toothed wheels, means for driving these further pairs of toothed wheels in opposite directions, these further pairs of toothed wheels being perpendicular to the first pairs of toothed wheels, being flattened at a part of their circumferences, to facilitate introduction of the envelope, said further wheels adapted to seal the remaining two sides of the envelope, each two of these toothedwheels being connected by one roller flattened in a corresponding manner as the toothed wheels.

AUGUST REINER'. WILHELM REHM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 999,204 Bunnig Aug. 1, 1911 1,407,646 Dun Lany Feb. 21, 1922 1,645,842 Widmaier Oct. 13, 1927 2,064,997 Vierengel Dec. 22, 1936 1,539,854: Macdonald June 2, 1925 2,103,390 Salflsberg Dec. 28, 1937 2,162,230 Salfisberg June 13, 1939 2,027,643 Howard Jan. 14, 1936 2,083,618 Salfisberg June 15, 1937 2,139,039 Salfisberg Dec. 6, 1938 

